The Sorcerer's Toad
by Kittylin15
Summary: Merlin's found himself a new pet. One problem is Arthur won't let him keep it on the count of his claims the thing is magical. * set after the witchfinder episode in season two
1. Chapter 1

Ok I randomly wrote this last night(Friday). Me and my friend were trying to watch the "beauty and the beast" episode but it wasn't loading so I randomly clicked on another episode that turned out to be the "Witchfinder". After my friend left I just wanted to write a fanfiction and I didn't know what about. I just sat down and started to write even though it was 10:30 and I came up with this. Took me under 2 hrs.

I'm actually thinking about making this a series of one shots. Have more ideas brewing. Tell me what you think of it so far. Have to go to my Aunts for the weekend. When i get back I'll probably add more to it. Fans of my Inuyasha fanfictions won't be happy to find out I started two knew Merlin fanfictions instead of finishing my other stories. That's right I'm going to try and write my first long chapter story for Merlin. I'm going to try and write most of it before I post it unlike my other stories so far.

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><p><strong><span>The Sorcerer's Toad<span> part 1**

**.**

Gaius walked into his chambers, coming back from his early rounds, only to find his ward on the ground. Crawling around the tables on his hands and knees looking under desks and chairs, calling for someone by the name of 'Milo'.

The Physician could only guess who ever or whatever it was. "Who is Milo and what are they doing in my chambers?" Gaius asked.

Merlin froze when he heard a voice but luckily it wasn't who he thought it would be. His ward looked back to see that his guardian had his eye brow up.

The young warlock sighed. " I'm looking for my new pet. When I woke up this morning he was gone, I put him in a beaker with a book on top of it so that he couldn't get out but he must've jumped into the side of it and knocked it off the ta**ble**."Merlin put emphasis on the last syllable as he looked under the work bench. Shaking his head and crawling to the other side of the room when he didn't find anything. Instead moving over to the patient bed where he might have more luck.

Gaius examined the beaker his ward had mentioned. He knew it was the one because it was chipped where it must've hit the ground. It was circular in nature with a wide opening, but not too big in size. Meaning they were talking about something quite small and not too troublesome; hopefully.

"Since when do you have a pet, Merlin? And aren't you suppose to be attending to your duties to the prince already." Gaius asked in exasperation. This would be the third time his ward had been late this week.

"Well…" Merlin never got a chance to finish his sentence because at that very moment the prince opened the door. Stopping with his hand still on the handle to hold the door open so he could storm out again. Their usual morning routine.

Arthur closed his mouth at the strange image that met him. He was just about to yell for his lazy man servant to get out of bed thinking he was still sleeping, but instead found him crawling on the ground as Gaius looked on with his eyebrow raised in disapproval at something.

"Merlin, What are you doing?" The prince asked with a little mocking in his tone. All Arthur could see was his menservants backside sticking out from under one of the beds.

"Arthur!" Merlin yelled in surprise at hearing his masters voice, hitting his head on the bottom of the bed as he tried to back out once more. The warlock hadn't heard the prince come in before.

He sat there nursing the bump on his head.

"Well?" Arthur said with a demanding tone when he got no answer to his previous question, crossing his arms and letting the door slip closed behind him as he stepped further into the room.

Merlin glared at his master when he started to tap his foot. The prince was giving him the usual look when he thought he was being an idiot.

But just then there was a croaking noise.

The two other occupants looked around the room in confusion while the young warlock's face lit up.

Arthur looked around until finally looking down at his feet only to see a, toad. Blinking twice to make sure it was actually there.

"Milo!" Merlin yelled in excitement as he jumped from his current position on the floor. Spraling out on his stomach to catch the toad between his two hands before it could hop away again, before standing up and berating it. "Don't ever disappear on me again. You had me so worried."

"Wait, I think I recognize that toad, isn't he the one Aredian puked up more than a week ago?" Arthur asked in amazement. In all the excitement of the 'Witchfinder' falling out the window everyone had forgotten about the amphibian.

"Yeh, I found it hopping down one of the castle corridors yesterday, when I was on my way to fetch your breakfast. I decided I'm going to keep it." Merlin answered. The young warlock felt a strange bond to the toad. Technically, it had been created by his magic.

He'd created a new life.

"So that's why you were late yesterday." Arthur stated in annoyance, when suddenly a look of realization took over his face. "Did you say you were going to keep that, thing, as a pet? Merlin, that is a creature of magic. You can not keep it." The prince demanded. If it wasn't Merlin he would've expected the usual reaction of throwing the object as far away from their person when they heard it was 'magic'.

"It's not Milo's fault he was puked up by a sorcerer. He's an innocent victim in all this." Merlin defended the toad as it could not itself.

Arthur glared at the creature his manservant was hugging lovingly to his chest, with a look of boredom on it's face. The look the prince was sending his servant was very clearly saying 'no', putting a hand on his sword in warning.

"He's harmless." Merlin stated as he held the thing close to the prince's face.

"That ,thing, can not stay here." Arthur sprouted in annoyance, as he backed up in disgust.

A dark look overtook the usual cheery face of his manservant. "What are you going to do, have it executed?"

The prince imagined the mockery it would cause if they actually executed a toad in front of the people. "No, I was thinking more along the lines of setting it free in the middle of the forest on our next hunting trip." Arthur defended himself.

Merlin made a contemplating face. It would probably be better for Milo in the long run. At least he would be away from Arthur and still live. Maybe he could find a nice swamp for it. "Alright, I agree. But what am I going to do with it until then?"

"I'll take it." Gaius volunteered. It seemed the boys had forgotten his presence in the room. Grabbing the toad from his wards arms before he was dragged out by the prince to perform his duties.

The physician shook his head and rolled his eyes as he listened to the two of them argue down the hallway. Placing the toad back in it's original beaker before going back to work.

Milo croaked in boredom. Hoping out of the beaker and off the table. Moving out the door to follow the young man who was so nice to him before.

oooo


	2. Chapter 2

I'm starting to really like my toad story. I'm just going where ever the wind takes me on this one. There really isn't any set story line yet. Anything can happen.

Would've been up earlier but as soon as I finished writing it I had to go to the dentist.

I watched Paranormal last night, which was really cheesy, but I have a wild imagination so I ended up staying up until 4 in the morning watching tv because everything scary happens when people sleep. Seems like every shadows a ghost. I also swear I have a ghost in my house on our stairway to the secound story. Mostly just you feel like somethings watching you. Used to think it was just the cat but my cat died and the feelings still comes up every once and a while.

I came up with this plot when I was laying awake in bed trying to sleep before I decided to give up.

Please leave a review.

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><p><strong><span>The Sorcerer's Toad <span>Part 2**

Merlin grumbled to himself as he made the prat's bed. Arthur had stepped out for a moment. He hoped the prince heard what he had to say when he came back.

Why couldn't the prat just let him have this one thing. He was acting like the toad was going to assassinate him in his sleep. The prince didn't have to even be near it again if he didn't want to.

He was just about to start cleaning out the fire place when he heard the door creak open, enough to let something fall fit through, and then shut again. Seemingly all by itself. The windows were closed so it couldn't be the wind.

Merlin froze, getting the feeling like he was being watched. "Anyone there." He stood stock still waiting for any noise to indicate he wasn't alone.

Then he heard a long croak, coming from by the door.

The noise instead of setting him off made Merlin relax again. "Milo, what are you doing here? Your suppose to be with Gaius. Did you follow me?" He asked rhetorically knowing it couldn't answer him back, as he picked his toad up.

Milo just croaked in it's usual bored fashion, but the young warlock took it as contentment. Amphibians weren't very emotional creatures. "Better not let Arthur see you."

Merlin opened the door to return the toad to Gaius before the prince came back, only to slam it back closed again at the sight of the king walking down the hallway towards him.

He looked around the room franticly thinking of where to hide Milo only to not have enough time. When the sound of boots reached the door and did not continue; Merlin quickly stuffed the toad into an inner pocket of his jacket.

The door opened again without even a knock to ask for permission to enter. The King did not ask for permission in his own castle he demanded it unconditionally, even from his own son. Uther narrowed his eyes when greeted by the sight of his son's manservant as the only occupant of the chambers.

"Where's Arthur?" Uther demanded.

"You know I'm not too sure. He left not to long ago to do something and didn't tell me what it was. It's not my place to pry into his business." Merlin answered respectively.

Too respectively for Uther's taste from past experiences with the idiotic servant. He was hiding something. The young boy seemed more shifty than usual. Before the King could question the young man more the door opened again.

Arthur froze mid step at the sight of the king in his chambers. "Father, what are you doing here?"

"I was just stopping by to inform you that the council meeting has been moved from this afternoon to tomorrow morning. Don't be late." Uther said. Arthur took note of how his father sent the last remark to his servant.

Merlin stood by the bed and had his arms across his chest, trying to look inconspicuous; Arthur found this suspicious.

"Thank you for informing me. I'll try my best not to." In the silence following the prince speaking there was a quite croaking noise that was cut off when Merlin shirted his arms position and coughed into his hands.

The king had a disgusted looked on his face like he thought the noise indicated the servant had just broke wind. Ignoring the fact there was no smell but just excepting that the boy was disgusting.

Arthur narrowed his eyes. Glaring at his servant. " Father, I was wondering that since thee is no longer a council meeting this after noon if I could possibly take a short hunting trip instead?"

Merlin understood the reason why the prince asked this. He had caught onto the fact that his servant was hiding the toad in his jacket. Maybe the large lump gave it away.

"I don't see why not. Don't stay out too long. You have to get up nice and early the next day." Once again his father directed his last remark to Arthur's manservant. Indicating there would be hell to pay if his son was late to another meeting because of Merlin's inefficiency.

Milo didn't like the tone of voice the mean man was using when referring to the boy. No one noticed the toad glow gold for a second as the king left the room.

Once they were alone together, Arthur sighed in exasperation. "You brought it with you."

"I didn't. It must've followed me." Merlin defended himself as he reached in and took Milo out of his jacket pocket.

"It's a toad, not a dog. I doubt it could keep up with you speed or track your sent." Arthur said like he was trying to explain something to an idiot. Which he was.

"I doubt a normal toad could open doors." Merlin mumbled to himself, under his breath.

"What'd you say." Arthur asked, trying to decipher his servants mumbling.

"Nothing." Merlin responded.

Arthur gave Merlin a once over before speaking again. " Now you are going to go prepare my horse, so we can go hunting, and get rid of that thing." The prince pointed to what his servant was holding.

Merlin didn't argue because he knew it would be useless. He left the room to do what he had been commanded, but he also left the toad sitting on the table.

Arthur had yet to be alone with the thing. It made him nervous and the room seem too quite. He blinked at the thing and it blinked right back.

The toad then proceeded to give off a croak, before jumping off the table and hopping towards the door. Somehow it managed to get the door open, and hop down the hall in the same direction Merlin just left in.

Arthur snapped out of his trance once the thing was out of his sight. The prince chased after it, managing to catch it between his two hands before it reached the stairs. He was happy at first that he caught it.

Then Arthur realized, he was touching the thing.

Surprisingly the thing didn't feel slimy at all like he was imagining but instead felt like dry leather. He also thought it would feel strange when you touched it, maybe a tingly feeling in his finger tips, but felt nothing.

Arthur held the thing as far away from his body as possible as he carried the toad back to his room to wait for Merlin.

He hoped he didn't get any warts from the thing; warts are very un princely.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry it took me so long to get this up. I haven't posted since last monday but it seems like only days ago. Damn Victoria day screwing up the week. My dad made me go to my grandpa's for the long weekend because he's moving. I didn't bring my laptop because I would just get nosy family members asking what I was doing. Though I did get near a swamp which had lots of toads and frogs that were very loud.

Here's a nice long chapter for you. I want all my chapters to end in the same way except the last one, but it took me a while this time to work my way up to it.

-I fixed some of my spelling mistakes from yesterday. You see I have this thing that as soon as I've writen to where I want my chapter to end, I have to post it online even if it isn't perfect yet. I'm going to rewrite and add more at the end after I'm finished this story so it can flow better too.

I got an idea for a one shot while I was writing yesterday. I'm just about to start it now so it should be up in a day or two. Please read it when I'm done.

*ok so I finished that one shot and its called Horse Love also started writing a series of one shots called Impulses. You should check them out. I'll get back to see soon I'm just on the fence with hat to do next.

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><p><strong>The Sorcerer's Toad<strong>

**Part 3**

Arthur was staring at the thing as he waited for his man servants return; the thing stared right back. This un-nerved the prince. It was like it was judging if he was worthy enough.

At the sound of the door opening and closing again, both the toad and the prince looked up in anticipation, not to be disappointed.

"Ok, your horse is ready." Merlin informed as soon as he returned; taking note on his entrance that the prince was as far from Milo as physically possible.

"Good. Grab the weapons and meet me back down in the stables." Arthur demanded before going to leave the room, only to stop in his tracks at what his manservant asked of him. "What'd you say?"

"I asked if you could bring Milo with you. If I'm carrying the hunting gear I'll have no hands to carry him in." Merlin repeated.

Arthur glanced over at the toad, that was still starring right back at him. "I don't think so." He'd touched that thing enough for one day.

"Oh come on, Arthur. I don't have three arms. What, your going to carry your own hunting gear for once in your life?" Merlin exclaimed, holding up his hands and wiggling his fingers.

"Can't you just put the thing in your pocket again?" Arthur asked, putting one arm across his chest and using the other to point at his servant's jacket.

"Not while I'm carrying anything heavy. I'll end up crushing him by accident, you know I usually have to lean things against my chest to support the weight." Merlin flexed his arm to prove he had no muscle.

Arthur pursed his lips as he looked at the thing from his position by the doorway.

"Fine!" He forced out. Putting on his riding gloves. Thinking that if he had to touch the thing again, there would be no direct skin contact. His manservant couldn't hide his grin from him as he placed the toad in his hands.

Merlin chuckled as he watched the prince disappear down the hallway. His shoulder's were tense and he looked so damn uncomfortable. He shook his head before leaving in the other direction.

.

Arthur swatted a mosquito away from his neck as they rode through the forest on their horses.

He looked back at his manservant, to see that they weren't bugging him because every time one would come near him the thing would eat it; using his big long tongue. Merlin didn't know how good he had it, they were eating him alive.

Arthur attempted to scratch at a bite he got through his armor; how'd they even manage to do that.

His servant was determined that if they were going to leave the thing in the wild, he had to be returned to a swamp. The closer they got to their destination the higher the bug infestation got. The noise level was a testament to that. The forest was a buzz with sounds, whizzing through the trees.

The path had been clear so far, but up ahead Arthur could see there was a small log, it shouldn't cause too much off a problem he thought to himself. The prince's horse jumped over it easily and with grace; but behind him his servant had a little bit more trouble.

Merlin's small black mare attempted to jump over the log like the white stallion in front of him but in the process jumbled the hunting gear.

The young warlock attempted to grab all the weapons before they feel but was not successful. He groaned in frustration before sliding off his horse. "Did we have to bring all this stuff with us? We aren't even actually going hunting."

"Of course we are, I told my father I was going hunting, it would be an embarrassment to return back to the castle with nothing." Arthur corrected Merlin from his horse, as he watched his servant recollect all the weapons.

Merlin grumbled to himself about pompous princes and stupid hunting only to be cut off.

Arthur shushed his servant when he thought he heard something in the forest. Sliding from his own horse and signaling for Merlin to hand him a weapon. Using the hand signals his knights understood.

His servant gave him a confused expression. Arthur wanted to hit his forehead in frustration. He snatched the weapon Merlin was currently holding out of his hands, a look of understanding flashing across his face.

The prince crept in the direction he thought the noise had come from, not to alarm it too his presence. There was a small munching noise in the next clearing. He held his spear in position, before jumping through the bush for what he hoped was a surprise attack.

The bunny stopped munching and let off a scream; the sound surprised the prince so much he dropped his spear and let one off his own.

Merlin came running over as fast as he could after grabbing Milo from the horses saddle.

Preparing himself to defend his master thinking he was under attack. He burst into the clearing expecting to see some giant magical beast judging from the sound the prince emitted.

Only to see the only other occupant of the clearing, was a harmless bunny.

He waited no time to burst out laughing.

"This isn't funny, Merlin!" Arthur snapped at his manservant. The bunny took this time to hop to safety while the threat was distracted.

"You were scared. I've never heard you scream like that before. You've faced all manor of magical beasts but you've finally met your match, in a bunny." The warlock burst out laughing again, hardly getting his last remark out.

"I was not scared." Arthur defended himself, a blush making it's way across his checks.

"You dropped your spear." Merlin pointed out.

"It just startled me, that's all." The prince defended himself, as he leaned down to grab his weapon from the dirt. Pushing back through the bushes to find his horse so he could get out of here.

His servant appeared behind him, having followed him from the other clearing. He was trying to wipe the tears from his eyes because he'd laughed so hard at his expense he'd started to cry. "That never happened!" Arthur snapped.

"Oh, it definitely happened. I'll think back fondly on this memory for years to come. Everyone, is going to hear about this." Merlin contradicted.

"You better not spread this story around. No one is going to believe you." Arthur threatened. Thinking of the embarrassment it could cause in court, especially if Morgana caught wind of it.

"I'm not the only one present, Milo can be my witness." Merlin held up the toad who croaked in boredom.

Arthur wasn't worried the toad was going to give credit to his man servants story. It couldn't even speak English. "Well to bad your 'witness', won't be coming back with us, to tell the tale." He said bluntly before mounting his horse.

Merlin's happy mood immediately deflated when the prince reminded him why they were out here in the first place. Milo looked at him in what he interpreted as sadness.

The young warlock collected the rest of the weapons and mounted his own horse without another word. They rode out.

.

Arthur attempted to look back at his servant without him noticing, as they rode closer to the swamp.

He hadn't said one word since they'd left the clearing containing the screaming bunny and it was kinda concerning; talking and Merlin just went together. Maybe he'd been a little too harsh the prince thought to himself, his servant was sensitive.

The Prince needed to work on his anger issues to not snap at everyone who annoyed him at that moment in time. Later on once he'd calmed down, he always realized that probably wasn't the best way to deal with the situation. Usually ending with him apologizing to his manservant in recent years. He was always present in stressful situations and usually ended up as his target to take his anger out on.

Merlin raised an eyebrow at his masters weird behavior. When the prince realized he had been caught looking he'd turned quickly ahead again. The warlock took this to mean that the prince wanted to say something to him but his pride was getting in the way.

He picked up the toad to eye level and whispered to it, so that Arthur couldn't hear. "Should I forgive him? One croak for no, and two croaks, for yes." He asked.

Maybe it was just coincidence Merlin thought, but, Milo croaked twice.

"I don't know, I think I should let him sweat little bit longer." The toad started to croak a lot like it was berating him. "Ok, if your sure." Merlin whispered.

Arthur peeked back out of the corner of his eye without turning his neck this time, only to witness his servant talking to the thing.

Ok, Merlin wasn't being completely silent, so all was right in the world. Which made his worry that he'd hurt his servant's feelings lessen a little bit. Though, he was talking to an animal like it actually had an opinion, which should be even more worrisome. But this was Merlin he was thinking about, so it really wasn't that weird.

The warlock was going to start a conversation like he always did on these trips to signal that he forgave the prat, but the princes horse stopped suddenly right in front of him. He had to grab onto his own horses reins quickly to stop it so it wouldn't crash into the other. "Why'd you stop?"

"What's that weird noise?" Arthur asked, not expecting his servant to actually know the answer.

Merlin listened. Off in the distance not too far away, he could hear a chorus of different noises meshing together that he hadn't noticed before because of Milo's croaking. He made the connection that they'd finally arrived at their destination. "We'd better leave the horses here." He suggested without explaining.

Arthur looked on in confusion as his man servant dismounted, grabbed the reins of both horses and started to lead them to a tree where he tied them to the trunk.

He then proceeded to walk off farther up the path disappearing around the bend, only bringing the thing with him.

"Merlin, where are you going? Wait for me!" Arthur exclaimed as he quickly dismounted from his horse, with as much grace as someone in a rush could manage; which was not much.

Running to where his manservant had disappeared too. The noises growing louder the closer he got. Once the prince passed the bend in the path he was surprised when his feet wouldn't move any longer, causing him to fall to the ground.

Merlin winced as he watched his master run in only to get his boots stuck in the mud and fall face forward into the swamps shore. He didn't let off a peep, he'd laughed enough for one day at the prince's expence.

Arthur peeled himself off the muddy ground. All the frogs and toads around him croaked even more. "I feel like they're laughing at me." He exclaimed as he looked around at all the wildlife. Him being the focus of their attention.

"They aren't laughing at you, they're communicating with each other, just like you and I." Merlin said to placate his master; it was true and false at the same time. They were talking to each other, but probably about the idiot who crashed into there home.

"Why didn't you tell me what you were doing?" The prince asked as he stomped through the mud towards his manservant. Blaming Merlin, again, for his situation. His earlier resolution, to not take things out on his servant, forgotten.

"The reason why I told you we should leave the horses, was because I knew they'd get stuck in the mud. I thought you'd work it out yourself, I didn't expect you to come running after me like a maniak." Merlin stated his reasons calmly, used to the princes temper tantrums. He'd forget about his anger within the hour and come crawling back to him.

The prince frowned at his servant. Covered head to toe in mud he didn't make a very imposing figure. " Well we got the thing to the swamp just like you wanted. Let's hurry up and go."

Merlin placed Milo on the ground, looked around at all the other amphibian population of the swamp. "You'll be happier here then you ever would've been back there in the castle. I'll miss you, Milo. Be good." He said before backing up to stand beside the prince who was by the entrance back to the path.

Arthur placed his hand on his servants shoulder in comfort. "He's better off here."

Merlin know the prince was right but he couldn't help but be a little sad. He nodded before leaving.

The prince took one last look back at the thing that was staring right back again one more, before following after his servant.

.

Arthur smiled from the top of his horse, at the sight of the castle on the horison once more. He managed to catch a deer on the way back so he was happy; his manservant was destroying his mood though.

Ever since they'd left the thing back there he'd been frowning and silent. Which was completely unnatural for the boy who always had a smile on his face and was never silent unless sleeping.

"Merlin, it isn't the end of the world." Arthur placated.

"I'm going to miss him." Merlin replied with a sigh at the end.

"You only had him for less than two days, you lived before without him, you'll survive now that he's gone." Arthur tried to reason.

Merlin shrugged, he couldn't help how he felt.

"Now we are going to go back and you are finally going to do your duties." Arthur told his servant before riding away from the forrest and toward the castle.

Merlin followed after his master, not noticing the tiny figure emerging from the trees behind him. Emitting a croak before jumping after him.

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><p>Did you know bunnies can scream? I didn't until my friend told me about her experience which makes me laugh every time I think of it. Bunnies scream when they thik they are going to die which is understandable, but apparently my friend when she was twelve was very threatening.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry it's been so long since my last update. Got my wisdom teeth out on Aug 16th and have taken a long time to recover. I actually just got an infection on that for some reason has made me want to write. Spent yesterday in the emergency room because nothing else is open on the weekends. Got some pills now that have worked like magic. I was started to get a fever when my mom went to pick them up and then with in half an hour of taking them I felt better. I have my first real day off school tomorrow but I'm hoping I can fit the dentist in. Dam them for not being open on weekends or friday.

I started writing this about a month ago around midnight when I was at my friends house and wasn't tired so I decided to start writing this just on my account. I noticed on friday when I was adding a new chapter to different story the time it was on my document list was almost up so it almost got deleted. I decided to finish it. I'll add more instalments eventually. There isn't really any set story line. I just started writing this on a whim.

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><p><strong>The Sorcerer's Toad<strong>

**part 4**

The prince tracked mud all the way through the castle on the path to his room. He had his manservant help remove his armor. "Merlin, draw me a bath before you leave, and when you do, take this with you. I expect it to be cleaned by morning."

Merlin looked on in dread at the muddy armor his master was indicating too. "But it's already sundown?" The warlock started to think about how little sleep he would get that night. He still had to run the princes bath before he could even think about how long it would take to return the armor to it's former glory.

"Then you better start moving." Arthur replied as he disappeared behind his dressing screen.

"Why can't it wait till morning? You have that council meeting so you won't be needing it till later." Merlin asked.

"You can't let that mud stay on it all night, it'll rust." The prince stated."...And don't forget to wake me up on time tomorrow!" Merlin could here just as the doors closed behind him.

…

Merlin grumbled to himself as he placed the dirty armor on the desk in his room. Looking disgruntled as he realized the state it would leave his table in. He sighed as he sat and pulled his chair closer so that he could get to work.

Picking up the first piece of armor, he started to rub it with a dry rag. It looked like he was just spreading the dirt around, making it even dirtier.

He dipped the rag into a bucket of water he'd gotten from the prince's bath. Too tired to walk all the way back down to the pump to get fresh water. The water was clean enough considering how dirty it was going to get in such a short time anyway.

The circular motion of the rag going over the surface of the armor repeatedly was slowly putting him in a daze until before he knew it he was a sleep.

…

The young warlock woke up with at start and when he heard movement in the other room. He just managed to stop himself from falling off the edge of his chair. He winced when he tried to stand up, his back still in pain from the angle he ended up falling asleep in, slumped over his desk. It took a minute for him to remember why he woke up there instead of his bed in the first place.

Wait, the room was light, the sun was already up.

"Dam." He didn't even remember falling a sleep but he remembered he never got very far on his task. Arthur would kill him if his armor were ruined. The warlock put his head in his hands to afraid to look at whatever damage there might be.

There came a knock at the door. "Merlin, you only have a few minutes before your suppose to wake the prince, get up!" Could be heard from the other side.

Double dam. He wouldn't even have enough time to fix it with magic.

Merlin looked at the table, dropping his hands from his head in surprise. The armor was, clean. He didn't remember finishing last night. 'It was more than clean, it looked almost brand new.' The warlock thought to himself. He could even see his reflection in it.

"Merlin!" Gaius snapped when his ward didn't appear and hearing no movement from within the room.

"I'm going!" Merlin yelled so that his mentor could hear him on the other side of the door. He gathered all the armor in his arms before leaving.

Still in a daze he didn't notice the croaking noise coming from under the table.

…

"You're late." Merlin heard as soon as he walked into his master's chambers. He looked towards where the sound came from to see the prince already sitting up in his bed. Judging by how alert his eyes were he'd been awake for a while. He'd not just woken up when he heard his manservant coming down the hallway; noisily clinking his armor together.

"Well if you're already up, it shouldn't really matter. I'm sure if I never showed up you'd be able to dress yourself and get to the king's meeting, on time." Merlin replied cheekily as he dumped the armor on the table.

"That isn't the point. Part of your job is to make sure I get up on time everyday, and you very rarely managed to perform this task for yourself. You'd never show up till noon if it wasn't for Gaius nagging you." The prince glared at his manservant.

Merlin rolled his eyes. " Are you going to get up and get dressed, or are you just going to stay in bed all day. I finished cleaning your armor."

"Did you now." Arthur said rhetorically as he through the cover off his body and got out of the bed. " Let me expect your work to see if it's up to my high standards."

The prince rolled out of bed and strutted over to stand beside the other man. He was surprised by what he observed. Looking from the amazingly clean armor to his well-rested manservant, he didn't believe it.

"Who'd you get to help you?" Arthur accused. "Was it Genevieve?"

"I didn't ask anyone to." Merlin said in his defense, what he said was true but that didn't mean that somebody hadn't of their own accord.

The prince could hear a note of doubt in his voice.

"This is the cleanest I've seen my armor since you started working for me. I doubt you'd be able to get it this clean from its dirty condition from yesterday even if you did stay up all night, if ever. Judging from your well rested expression that wasn't the case…" Arthur left his accusation trail off. He was waiting for his manservant to confess.

"What does it matter if it was me or if someone else did it, as long as it was done, who cares." Merlin sprouted out under his master's stare. They both just looked at each other. "Aren't you suppose to meet your father in ten minutes?" He said to throw the prince off his trail.

"Dam, I don't have time for this, that doesn't mean that this conversation is dropped. We'll talk about this later." Arthur told him before rushing to get dressed.

…

When they arrived late at the council chambers they were surprised to see everyone standing and talking, with the king nowhere in sight.

"What's going on?" Arthur asked one of his father's advisors.

"King Uther has locked himself in his room and refuses to come out. Maybe you should go and try and talk to him." The advisor looked pleadingly at his prince, not knowing what else to do.

Arthur looked confused at this turn of events. 'What reason would his father have to not want to see anybody?' He asked himself. The prince turned and started walking in the direction of his father's chambers, his manservant following behind him.

…

Arthur banged on the grand wooden door. "Father, we are supposed to be having a meeting with the court." He received no verbal response but could hear movement within. "Father, would you open the door!"

"I do not wish to see anyone today, go away." Came the muffled reply through the door.

"Is the reason physical?" Arthur asked through the door. He could hear a grumble, which he took as a confirmative. "Whatever it is, it can't be that bad. Would you at least let Gaius come in and examine you? Maybe he could figure out what's wrong and a way to fix it."

"No one is aloud to see me like this!" Uther yelled through the door.

Arthur looked at Merlin and mouthed 'That he should get Gaius'. His manservant nodded in agreement before turning to head in the direction of the physician's chamber. The prince turned back to the door to see if he could talk his father around to reason.

…

It was safe to say that he had no luck in his endeavor with his father. He was so glad to see Gaius return with Merlin. "I can't get him to open the door." Arthur told the physician.

Gaius rolled his eyes and reached into his pocket. They could hear a jingling noise of metal hitting each other. "Luckily I have a key for such events. When your father was newly crowned he used to throw hissy fits all the time like this." He pulled the ring of keys out. Selecting the most ornate one before placing it in the lock and turning it to the right.

They could hear a click of the door unbolting before the old man opened the door to the kings indignation. "I thought I told you I didn't want to see anybody!" Uther's yell could be heard from with in, followed by the physician's loud laughter.

The prince and warlock locked eyes in question before curiosity got the best of them. They both rush the door, bursting through it and quickly looking around for the king's person. When they rested their eyes upon him they both stopped in surprise.

Arthur thought that maybe his father had woken to find that his hairline had receded further. Hair loss was a very touchy subject with him since he hit middle age, but this was the complete opposite.

The king was covered head to toe in thick gray fur. You could just see his eyes glaring at his old time friend who was laughing at his plight. "Are you going to help me or just continue to mock my pain?" The king demanded more than asked, spitting out the fur that had gotten into his mouth as he talked.

"Ok sir, how did this happen?" Gaius asked with a giant smile on his face, still out of breath from laughing so hard.

"There's only one possibility, it was magic." The king jerked in indignation causing his long- only word to describe it- fur swing forward at his motion. "I just woke up like this."

Merlin started to chuckle to himself. Arthur tried to cover his manservant's mouth to muffle the noise so his father wouldn't hear; or his friend may just be spending the day in the dungeon judging from his father's mood.

"The noise turned the kings attention to the other two unknown occupants of the room. "You boy need to get out. Get out, and don't tell anyone about what you've seen!" Merlin struggled out of the prince's arms and immediately started to run to the door at the king yelling at him, the prince watched him go but stood frozen in place. "You too Arthur." Uther yelled again.

Arthur put his hands up and turned on his heel and left at a fast pace. He met his manservant in the hall. "I wonder who would want to put such a harmless curse on my father? It isn't life threatening in the slightest, usually people with magic are out to kill."

Merlin shrugged. " I don't know, maybe someone wanted revenge for something minor."

"But who?" Arthur asked trying to think of the people his father had come in contact with lately.

A croak was heard down the hall surprising the both so they whipped their head in the direction.

"Milo." Merlin said in surprise when his toad that they left in a swamp just yesterday appeared once more. Just like magic.

...TBC

* * *

><p>Uther growing fur was inspired by when Uther goes bald in the goblin episode, I decided to go the opposite way.<p> 


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